Monday, February 24, 2014

After weeks of rain, which has seen severe flooding and has caused so much damage and misery to so many in the UK, the weather seems to have settled down. It feels like a Spring day with blue skies and sunshine here in South Kensington.

Work seems fairly quiet today when you would expect it to be busier after the school holidays. I've almost done 3 hours work and have taken peanuts.

I'm on a bit of a mission from now until July as Jane and I are getting married. The wedding notification went up at the town hall last week so unless anyone has any objections it should all go ahead as planned. As both of us have been married before we're not making it as big a deal as it could be but it will still be an event where all our friends and family can get together for a drink, a bit of food and a good old boogie if they want to.

I've been working away since Christmas and overall it hasn't been too bad.

I had a little episode the other day when I picked up these two shifty lookin guys in Paddington and they only wanted to go round to Westbourne Grove...a 3.20 ride. They handed over a £50 note which felt wrong from the start. I carry a small uv light on a keyring and a quick press confirmed it was indeed a fake. I handed it back to him and asked for some real money to which he tried to sound surprised saying he'd just been given it in the casino. He paid me in coins and off I went making sure to alert my fellow cabbies via Twitter (@thelondoncabby).
I drove around a while looking for my next fare and low and behold who is still in Westbourne Grove trying to hail another cab but these two guys. I pulled up alongside them told them they were all over Twitter and were well out of order for trying to trick us hardworking cabbies into laundering their funny money. They sloped off sheepishly and hopefully got the message. Idiots!!

Whilst sitting at traffic lights at Holland Park Avenue one day last week I could see movement out of the corner of my right eye. I looked over and a guy in a 4x4 was trying to catch my attention before the lights went green. It was none other than TV chef Heston Blumenthal and he was looking for the Uxbidge Arms. I gave him the necessary instructions and he sped off as if late for an appointment.

I used to have a list on my iphone of all the celebrities I've had in my cab over the last 23 years. It boasted of top names such as Michael Caine (twice) Richard Harris, Rob Lowe, Richard Dreyfus various pop stars and sports people and it was a great party piece to show off and impress. Well the list somehow got deleted a short while ago and I've never been able to populate a new one with all the names as I have forgotten most of them. A shame indeed!

We are still awaiting the payout from the accident we had in November. All documents requested from us and everything asked of us has been complied with. I had to stop the physio as it was making my arm worse and hopefully it will sort itself out. Hopefully the money will arrive in time to go towards our impending nuptuals.